Seeds Of Change

Rural flight once saw droves of young people leave small, country communities for the bright lights and corporate salaries of the city. Now, a new wave of producers is emerging as young Australians rethink and reshape the future of farming, writes JORDAN KRETCHMER.

- Jordan Kretchmer

Agriculture has long been an important job for Australians, an integral part of rural communities and a cornerstone of the broader Australian identity. But as we march into a new decade – following a year of challenge and change as both coronavirus and climate change shook up supply chains and highlighted food insecurity – it’s small-scale farming and the young people behind it that are now having a moment in the sun.

“Farming is the next entrepreneurial pursuit for young people. It’s an industry that’s opening up, and has many opportunities with a massive demand for food. I’m excited. Sometimes I feel like we’re in Silicon Valley,” explains Jordan Collin of Huntly Organics, a market garden in Bendigo that he owns with his partner Emma. The self-professed YouTube farmer is one of many young people, using technology, creative thinking and science to support a dream of working on the land.

“Sometimes we think of small farming as regressive, or something from the 1900s, but it’s really the cutting edge of agriculture. For those who pay attention to the new research and science that comes out, it’s an exciting space to be in,” says Collin.